Commuting is a major cause of stress due to the unpredictability and a sense of lost control due to traffic congestion, etc. Commuters also can experience boredom, social isolation, anger, and frustration from problems like traffic or other delays. Increased usage of autonomous vehicles may help to alleviate some of these problems. For example, autonomous vehicles help to reduce the stress of driving, and provide potential savings in travel cost.
However, commuters may continue to experience boredom even while riding in an autonomous vehicle. For example, usage of autonomous vehicles may become an incentive to live further away from cities, thus increasing travel distances. These longer commutes may still result in boredom during travel even though traveling in an autonomous vehicle.
Also, once automation in vehicles reaches higher levels and becomes more reliable, commuters in general may pay less attention to the road or other aspects of the trip. This reduced need for attention may further contribute to boredom when traveling in an autonomous vehicle.